Friedrichshafen from June 1 to 3, 2018

The Hotspot for Radio Enthusiasts, Modders and Makers
18.07.2017 |
Creativity, the opportunity to make new friends and contacts and a love for technology and tinkering
drew 17,110 visitors (last year: 17,230) to the exhibition center in Friedrichshafen.
The Ham Radio again proved to be a Mecca for amateur radio enthusiasts from around the world and the
exhibitors at the Maker Faire Bodensee generated a spark in the eyes of visitors. “The high quality
of products offered by exhibitors, the presentations by international associations, the large flea
market and the Comprehensive accompanying program are the four pillars of the Ham Radio that make it
the number one event in Europe, which was again clear at the 42nd edition of the event,” said Messe
Friedrichshafen CEO Klaus Wellman and project leader Petra Rathgeber. The 196 exhibitors and associations
at the show came from 33 countries and the level of international participation among visitors and
media representatives was similarly high. Inspired by 100 exhibitors, a spirit of invention,
creative ideas and fantasy was in the air at the Maker Faire Bodensee.
From antennas to transmitters to accessories, the international amateur radio exhibition
offers everything an ham operator could possibly need. The flea market area again proved
to be a real treasure trove as well as place to meet and talk shop. “The beloved youth camp
and the opportunity to camp right next to the exhibition halls also helped to bring the ham spirit
to life at the exhibition center in Friedrichshafen,” said a convinced Petra Rathgeber.
As the conceptual sponsor of the International Amateur Radio Exhibition, the German Amateur
Radio Club (DARC) developed a technical lecture and supporting program befitting the show's
motto of “Germany Welcomes the World” that proved very effective. “We were able to generate
strong interest in the World Radiosport Team Championship (WRTC) among the visitors,” said
DARC chairman Steffen Schöppe, visibly pleased. “The international youth meeting was also very
successful, the participants had a lot of fun. We are really very pleased with how the
Ham Radio 2017 has gone,” Schöppe added.
In interviews, many exhibitors reported that the show had been a success for them.
„We are very sadisfied. We had a lot of traffic at our booth from many countries.
It’s a great for us to meet people from all over Europe and the world, a great place to present
our products and to talk with the visitors, also to have the opportunity to speak
to over three hundred people on the stage in A2,”reported Lori Hicks from FlexRadio.
Michael Bürck, Product Manager Amateur Radio, JVC Kenwood, was also satisfied.
“Like every year, we were also able to make many new contacts here this year and we will be
back again in 2018.” Jutta Kuhne, CEO of Kuhne Electronics, reports that “we already had
a lot of advance orders in the run-up to the show and here we also had several new products
that were real visitor magnets. We were very pleased with sales and feel like Messe Friedrichshafen
has taken good care of us.”
“Whether it was computer cases that had been built into works of art, bags made from aluminum
can tabs or concepts for a do-it-yourself barkeeper, at the fourth edition of the Maker Faire
Bodensee, creative minds and hobbyist tinkerers found what their hearts desired. One hundred
exhibitors encouraged visitors to tinker, build and make new experiences in a large number
of participatory activities. The show by artist Kolja Kugler and his robot band put a smile on all
of the visitors’ faces. “There was a lot to discover at the Maker Faire Bodensee 2017.
The One Love Machine Band in the open air grounds turned out to be a loud visitor
favorite and the large number of in-costume cosplayers and steam punkers in the new Fantasy
Area drew everyone’s attention – including that of the radio operators,” reports project leader Rathgeber.
The reaction of Peter König of Maker Media GmbH, the partner at the Maker Faire Bodensee,
was also very positive.
“There are a lot of maker shows and each has its own character.
What I like about the Maker Faire Bodensee is that it appeals to a lot of school students,
for example with the Young Maker Award. The projects that are shown here are really amazing.
You also don’t have such a large number of cosplayers at many other shows like this that I know.”
The Ham Radio will be transmitting from Friedrichshafen from June 1 to 3, 2018, and the Maker Faire
Bodensee will generate new creative impulses from June 2 to 3, 2018